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cbs5.com - Local Wire: “A planned free live simulcast event outside San Francisco City Hall of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday is in danger of having to be scaled back, the event's organizer warned today.

Tony Imperial, director of the non-profit cultural center NextArts, said his group had planned a lavishly decorated and technologically impressive event but has been stymied by the mayor's office, which normally supports such efforts, he said.

"They're just obstructing us," Imperial said.

Imperial said the simulcast will be the only free, outdoors event of its kind in San Francisco on Inauguration Day.

"The only thing we ever wanted out of it, was to show our technical expertise," he said.

Imperial said his group received permitting from the city several months ago, but since then, "They blocked everything we wanted to do logistically," from decorations and security fencing to closing the street in front of City Hall, he said.

NextArt's request for a one-time, $10,000 arts grant from the city was also refused, he said.”